Russia’s brand new ‘super tank’ Armata T-14 has unlimited potential for modernization, which together with a reasonable production value, significantly increases its export possibilities, the developer said.

“This tank has a real potential for modernization, because
it’s new and cutting-edge – in our understanding it can be
upgraded an infinite number of times,” Oleg Sienko, CEO of
Uralvagonzavod Research and Production Corporation, developers of
the Armata T-14, told the Rossiya 24 news channel.

Uralvagonzavod has managed to create “a platform and the base
of the lead vehicle in accordance with top international
standards,” he said.

According to Sienko, the Armata T-14, just like its predecessor
the T-90, is cheaper to produce than modern tanks developed by
foreign countries.

Reasonable production values and vast modernization opportunities
significantly improve the export potential of the new Russian
tank, he said.

Also on Tuesday, Trade Minister Denis Manturov said that Russia
is ready to discuss supply of T-14 Armata with Egypt, RIA Novosti
reported.

“Uralvagonzavod is looking into the options of delivering
T-14 Armata tanks to foreign customers. Of course, we’ll be
interested in this at some point, but only after executing the
defense order in the framework of the armament program,” the
minister said on his visit to Cairo.

Twenty ‘super tanks’ have been produced in Russia so far, with
all of them being on the Defense Ministry’s shopping list for
2015.

According to preliminary estimates, 2,300 T-14 Armata units are
required for the Russian Army to be fully re-stocked and combat
efficient.

The next generation T-14 tank, based on the Armata platform, was
unveiled by the Defense ministry at the Victory Day military
parade in Moscow on May 9.

Its main design feature is the armored capsule for the three-man
crew, placed in the front of the vehicle and isolated from the
rounds rack for extra safety.

Armata T-14’s main armament – a 7.62mm remote-control machine gun
and a 125mm smoothbore cannon, are unmanned and fully automated.

On Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin in charge of the
defense industry, praised the Armata T-14, saying that foreign
countries lag behind Russia in terms of advanced tank-building
technology by some 15-20 years.

"Even if they make something similar to what we have made, we
will make something else by that time," Rogozin told the NTV
channel.

Last week, Germany and France announced they’ll be joining forces
to develop a new battle tank.

The Leopard 3, which is to replace its ageing Leopard 2 by around
2030, would be able to compete with Russia’s next-generation
Armata tank, the German Defense Ministry said.